Washington, Aug 4 (IANS) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that a deal with Iran could be reached on Tuesday or Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalised position in this conflict,” Bessent said in an interview with CNBC, Xinhua News Agency reported.
When asked whether Iran would be allowed to charge a toll on ships that pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the US Treasury Secretary said, “It would be freedom of movement.”
He added that prices should fall further when hundreds of ships stuck in the Gulf are able to exit, noting that the impact extends beyond energy to include fertilisers, refined petroleum products, and industrial gases.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that while the United States sees the denuclearisation of Iran as its “ultimate deal,” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is the “immediate” one.
“So the denuclearisation of Iran is the ultimate deal. I think the immediate deal, the one that you see a lot of focus on, is the Strait,” Rubio told reporters.
There is no final agreement yet on the Strait of Hormuz, but “we’re hoping that will happen very shortly,” he added.
Iranian officials so far have made no response to the remarks.
Qatar confirmed on Tuesday that mediation efforts between the United States and Iran remain underway, with draft language for a possible agreement continuing to be exchanged between the two sides as regional mediators work to prevent further escalation.
Majed Al Ansari, adviser to Qatar’s prime minister and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during a weekly press briefing that there were no direct talks scheduled between the United States and Iran but expressed hope that mediation efforts would soon lead to the resumption of negotiations.
On the possibility of reaching an agreement, Al Ansari said no timeline could be set.
–IANS
ksk/as
